The country’s top electoral authority has extended the deadline for filing and receiving nomination papers till December 24.

The development comes after the PML-N, MQM-P, JUI-F, and the GDA had some such requests.

On Thursday, PML-N leader Ishaq Dar in a letter to the ECP sought two-day extension in filing of nomination papers for general elections in order to facilitate thousands of candidates desirous to take part in elections.

The JUI-F and the MQM-P also wrote to the ECP on Wednesday and sought an extension in the date for filing nomination papers by three days. The religio-poiltical party was of the view that the voting date should remain the same and instead the polls overseer should cut the time period fixed for the scrutiny of the nomination papers.

It merits here to mention that many aspirant politicians have submitted their nomination papers to contest the February 8 general elections while others were racing to do it today in view of the previous deadline.

In a statement, the ECP said that political parties should also submit the forms to the relevant returning officers for specific seats. The list of candidates would be released on December 24. Returning officers would check the documents for invalidity from December 25 to 30. Appeals against the ROs decision could be filed on January 3.

According to the schedule issued by the polls overseer, the initial list of candidates would be released by Saturday. Scrutiny of the nomination papers would begin on Sunday would continue till December 30.

Pakistan is all set to hold delayed general elections on February 8. The upcoming elected government would have a host of challenges to tackle as the country needed to boost the economy and improve law and order situation.

Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers could be filed by January 3 that would be decided by January 10. The ECP would publish the revised list of candidates on Jan 11 while candidates can withdraw their papers by Jan 12.

Electoral symbols would be allotted on Jan 13.

Islamabad

As many as 320 nomination papers have been received from three districts in Islamabad. Sources told Aaj News that 116 candidates from NA 46, 100 from NA 47, and 104 from NA 48 submitted documents.

Mian Aslam of Jamaat-e-Islami, Kashif Chaudhry, and Malik Abdul Aziz have submitted their nomination papers. As many as 320 candidates, including Zeeshan Shah, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Shoaib Shaheen, have received their nomination papers so far.

Meanwhile, over 1,000 candidates received nomination papers for national and provincial constituencies from Rawalpindi. As many as six candidates, including Sheikh Rashid, Rashid Shafiq, and Fayyazul Hasan Chauhan, have submitted their papers.

Many candidates, including Nisar Ali Khan, Qamarul Salam Raja, Naeem Ejaz, Ajmal Saber, and Raja Rashid Hafeez, have received their nomination papers.